Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I have to apologize because my blog seems to have fallen by the wayside while I am exploring the US. Not to fear! But pictures have been taken all along and I have found that no matter where you go, bikes are there :-) Since there is little time for me to write out all of my thoughts about transportation, traveling, and biking I will just tell a story with pictures. The take away message is that biking is back now more than ever so it time for planners to make room for these two wheel travelers in every city, state, and country...

A dedicated bike lane that even gets some sign love in Hawaii!

Hawaii Bike Lanes

Backpacking Biker in Kona, Hawaii

Safety First for the Presidents while biking!

Scenic Highways like this would be ideal for a cross country bike trip!

Minneapolis Greenway

Greenway Map, Minneapolis

(I asked them to look bikery, yes that's a word.)

My trip is not even half way through... so look forward to more in the next two weeks :-)

It seems that where ever you go, there are people on bikes these days. I was recently heading riding the bus up to the airport when I spotted these two bikers, trailers in tow, making their way through North Charleston. (yes, these are low quality phone pics).

As far as biking outside of Charleston, I just got back from a trip up to Blowing Rock, NC for the fourth of July and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of bikers on the road. Here are the three that I caught on my phone:

Then after a full weekend of watching bikers, I ended up back at the airport, waiting for the bus. It struck me as ridiculous that the bus stop at the airport is marked by a tiny sign all the way at the end of the terminal exit with no bench, no cover, and a solid 50 feet from all other ground transportation. The only reason I knew it was there and what time the bus came was because I looked it up ahead of time. When I got on the bus (after being soaked in the rain waiting), I made a comment to the bus driver who proceeded to explained to me that the airport gets a cut of the profit from all of the vans and taxis that do pick ups there, so they are not exactly hanging banners about the $1.50 bus rides into town. From that point on, the driver and I discussed the politics of public transportation and how Charleston is just not planned and developed like a city. When I started talking about programs and ideas from other cities, she just laughed and told me I needed to get over the idea that Charleston will ever run like "a city". All of the same ideas and changes that I have hoped to see in the bus routes are the same ones suggested by drivers, riders, and citizens that have been ignored for years. That being said, I am still going to push the airport to move one of the dozens of benches from the front over to the bus stop because that is one battle I stand a chance of winning.

AND one last thing. For those of you that are interested in supporting bikers that are riding to make a difference, check out my friends website who is riding 165 miles to raise funds to help educate about HIV/AIDS (she is number 113) : https://www.thesmartride.org/3/pledge/

my bike!!

two wheel drive

heres the deal...

I am glad you are joining me on my journey to becoming a less car dependent person. When I decided to sell my car and start riding my bike and taking the bus, I got a wide range of responses, many of which wanted to know how I was planning on doing it (or why, for that matter). This blog is going to help you understand what it really means to be car-free, why everyone should consider it, and how it can realistically be done. I will be posting stories, pictures, and videos about the ups and downs of this experience. Hopefully you will enjoy my adventures, learn from my mistakes, and be inspired by my triumphs.

"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race." ~H.G. Wells